


awful little man experiences regret for the first and last time in his life

by tickfleato



Category: Phantom of the Paradise (1974)
Genre: Ficlet, Gen, Introspection, idk what other tags to use...
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-01
Updated: 2020-10-01
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:42:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26746801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tickfleato/pseuds/tickfleato
Summary: just messing around w/ writing style and character voice. slightly concerned at how easy swan ended up being to write...
Kudos: 9





	awful little man experiences regret for the first and last time in his life

It's only in the last few moments of his life, in a massive 'oh shit' moment, that Swan even considers he's made any sort of mistake. Considers any of the warning signs. It's just not fair! He's always supposed to come out on top, he made a deal with the _devil_ , damn it! 20 measly years of immortality and it all got ruined by someone who should have given up, should still be in jail, should be bricked up and working for him. Oh, it's all Winslow's fault. Clearly.

But you know. The end is an infuriatingly good time for self-doubt. An alien emotion to him. Only when your life is flashing by your eyes you do get to see all the ways you went wrong...

Obviously the whole devil deal was a fantastic decision, no regrets there. No, he doesn't regret an ounce of what he's done up until the events that led to his downfall - perhaps someone with morals might, but he's a self-absorbed, selfish, vain, conniving bastard and has absolutely no issues with those facts. No, the doubt comes in only when it's himself on the line. And looking back in the miniscule time he's got before a one-way trip to hell the bad turns seem crystal clear.

It all started with Winslow of course. Seemed like someone easily played for a fool - after all, what can a man like that do? Go to court about it? Laughable! But perhaps the fact that he'd physically assaulted someone over the mere mention that someone else would play his music was the first warning sign. But again - what can one insignificant little (uh, figuratively) composer do? Jack shit, that's what.

Until he doesn't. Do jack shit, that is. A worrying tenacity, or at least worrying to someone who isn't utterly sure of himself at all times. Still, though, locking him up for good is easy, and that should do the trick, right? Apparently fucking not! Then there's the next mistake. _Of course_ he wouldn't stay dead. Swan wasn't even surprised at this point (which maybe tells you something about how foolish he ended up being later on) and it's not like he can't turn this to his favor. In fact it's a blessing, really! And that's where he should have stopped. The man broke out of jail over a _song_ , for ch- uh, satan's sake.

It's just, he's never experienced any sort of serious consequences over backstabbing before! So why should this time be any different? He should be able to do whatever he wants! It's not fair!! Maybe mentioning the contract when it's pretty clear Winslow no longer valued his own life was a mistake. It's not like he thought he'd go _looking_ for it. Why'd he let him run around free after that, anyway? Should have bricked him back up again. Put something REAL heavy in front of the door. 

And Phoenix... maybe... maybe he did get a little overzealous there. Oh, but the publicity! The fame! The attention her death could have brought in! Sure, she could've been useful in the longer term, but he had her voice, didn't he? If he'd just kept a closer eye on that freak. He's getting dangerously close to feeling bad about trying to kill someone and he really doesn't like that. It occurs to him that maybe THIS is Hell. 

And a little bit after that, his awful little heart stops, and he discovers that it really wasn't at all.


End file.
